Education – PBS NewsHour

On Nov. 8, California voters will vote on a proposition that would make it easier for school districts to expand bilingual education. Critics say English-only instruction is crucial to assimilation, while supporters argue that it would be an opportunity to embrace the state’s multiculturalism and linguistic richness. Special correspondent Kavitha Cardoza of Education Week reports.

The biggest challenge for these college students may not be exams or papers, but finding the means to survive. While the University of California system has worked to bring in more first-generation and “non-traditional” students, helping them stay, succeed and meet basic needs like getting enough food requires greater investment. Jeffrey Brown reports from Berkeley, California.

Student debt has been a prominent topic during this year's presidential campaign, with several candidates touting plans for tuition-free college. Indeed, more than 40 million Americans carry debt from student loans, totaling around $1.3 trillion nationally. While the median debt is about $27,000, people who owe less than $10,000 are the most likely to default. Marketplace’s Lizzie O’Leary reports.

It’s not uncommon to assign students the task of watching the presidential debates. But in this election, the sexualized and rough rhetoric is proving a new challenge for teachers. Hari Sreenivasan speaks with Richard House of Gunston Middle School in Virginia and Christopher Cavanaugh of Plainfield High School in Indiana about how they’re dealing with the election.

In September, for-profit technical institute ITT Tech declared bankruptcy and closed its 130 campuses, after the Department of Education said it could no longer admit students who relied on federal funds to attend. The DOE cited accreditation problems and concerns about misleading students. Hari Sreenivasan talks to Inside Higher ED’s Paul Fain about what is being done for former ITT students.

College affordability has become a major issue in the election because it’s a major issue in our lives -- Americans currently hold $1.3 trillion in student debt, and it’s on a staggering rise. Frontline and Marketplace collaborated on this video with Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal on the state of student loans.

A former banana plantation in Costa Rica is now a school -- but the curriculum still involves growing fruit. EARTH University, founded in 1992, trains students from developing nations in responsible, sustainable agriculture. Graduates then apply their knowledge in their own countries, hoping to improve both the economy and the environment. Special Correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports.

Oklahoma ranks 45 out of 50 states in spending per student. It’s home to overcrowded classrooms and more than 100 districts that have approved four-day school weeks. Now, more than 40 teachers who are tired of not being heard are trying to change things themselves -- by running for office. Special correspondent Lisa Stark of Education Week reports.

Federal financial aid for college is often underutilized due to the complexity of required paperwork; however, 90% of students who do complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) enroll in school. This year, the FAFSA is being streamlined in the hope of increasing participation. Hari Sreenivasan speaks with Kim Cook, executive director of the National College Access Network.

At a time when schools across the country are cutting arts education, this city is aiming to make it universal. Myran Parker-Brass, a classically trained mezzo-soprano who sang for the Boston Symphony, is working to provide weekly arts education to all middle and elementary Boston public school students. And she’s not stopping there. Special correspondent Lisa Stark of Education Week reports.

Where do Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump stand on the hot-button issues of education reform in the U.S.? Lisa Desjardins offers a rundown, and Education Week’s Andrew Ujifusa and Scott Jaschik of Inside Higher Education join Jeffrey Brown to examine the candidates’ dramatically different proposals for K-12 and higher education.

When Jennine Capó Crucet was a college freshman, her parents stayed for her entire orientation. It wasn’t because they especially wanted to; they just didn’t know what they were meant to do. As a first-generation college student, Crucet was not aware of the norms understood by most of her peers. Now a novelist and professor, she gives her take on what first-generation students need.

A for-profit school system called AltSchool now operates in San Francisco and New York, with plans to license its program to public schools across the country. AltSchool's co-founder, a former Google executive, believes methods used in the tech industry, like collecting data from users, can transform education. NewsHour Weekend Special Correspondent Joanne Jennings reports from San Francisco.

To get a job with a good salary, having a college degree is increasingly vital. But degrees are also more and more expensive, and don’t guarantee job placement. Skills-based boot camps may provide one solution, by teaching valuable skills in a short period of time. And support for computer coding camps is flourishing, both from private investors and the government. Hari Sreenivasan reports.

When applying to a job out of college, having a top-notch resume isn’t enough anymore. College graduates from top schools apply alongside dozens of similarly qualified candidates. In light of new hiring trends, a program at Georgetown University aims to make their students the best candidates possible, by teaching them skills that will give them a leg up on the job hunt. Hari Sreenivasan reports.